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Witch Finder #1
Witch Finder
London. 1880. In the slums of Spitalfields apprentice blacksmith Luke is facing initiation into the Malleus Maleficorum, the fearsome brotherhood dedicated to hunting and killing witches.
Luke’s final test is to pick a name at random from the Book of Witches, a name he must track down and kill within a month, or face death himself. Luke knows that tonight will change his life forever. But when he picks out sixteen-year-old Rosa Greenwood, Luke has no idea that his task will be harder than he could ever imagine.
Luke’s final test is to pick a name at random from the Book of Witches, a name he must track down and kill within a month, or face death himself. Luke knows that tonight will change his life forever. But when he picks out sixteen-year-old Rosa Greenwood, Luke has no idea that his task will be harder than he could ever imagine.
374 pages, Paperback
First published January 2, 2014
27 people are currently reading
2640 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Warburton
17 books308 followersHello goodreaders! What can I tell you about myself... well, I love coffee, hate tea.
I prefer cheese to chocolate (but would eat either, if you're offering).
I grew up on a reading diet of my mum's classics (Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice) my dad's sci-fi/fantasy (A Wizard of Earthsea, Dune) and the Jilly Cooper novels passed around school at break time. I always wanted to be a writer but I never thought it would happen.
I was born and raised in Sussex on the south coast of England, and I went to school in Lewes and Brighton, but I now live in London.
If you want to find out more or contact me, the best way is via my website www.ruthwarburton.com or my facebook page www.facebook.com/ruthwarburtonwriter
I prefer cheese to chocolate (but would eat either, if you're offering).
I grew up on a reading diet of my mum's classics (Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice) my dad's sci-fi/fantasy (A Wizard of Earthsea, Dune) and the Jilly Cooper novels passed around school at break time. I always wanted to be a writer but I never thought it would happen.
I was born and raised in Sussex on the south coast of England, and I went to school in Lewes and Brighton, but I now live in London.
If you want to find out more or contact me, the best way is via my website www.ruthwarburton.com or my facebook page www.facebook.com/ruthwarburtonwriter
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September 24, 2018
3.5 stars
Witch Finder was another one of those that took me a while to get into it, but once the story got going it turned out to be pretty good.
It opens with Luke being initiated into a group of witch hunters and drawing Rosa's name as his first kill. But there's a catch... If he doesn't complete his mission, then he will be the one that the brotherhood hunts down and kills. It sounds like these guys are hard-core assholes, but as the book goes on, you can see that they are probably just misguided. Especially Luke's uncle, who really loves and cares for Luke. As for Luke, he was a child when he witnessed a witch kill his parents, and he and his uncle have been fighting them ever since. Luke has the rare ability to see their magical aura and has been working with the brotherhood for years to identify witches for assassination. Now that he's old enough, he's ready to become a full-fledged member of the Malleus Maleficorum.
Rosa is a 16 year old witch who comes from one of the most powerful families in London. Now that her loving father is dead, she's been left to the mercy of her cruel brother and social-climbing mother. Even though she's a powerful witch, she can't do much to stop the abuse they both heap on her. They have plans to marry her off to a powerful sociopathic warlock. He's wanted Rosa for years, but growing up with him has given Rosa a glimpse into his evil nature. The thought of being married to him terrifies her, but she's not sure what she can do to stop it.
Meanwhile, the brotherhood sets up a position in Rosa's house for Luke, and he prepares himself for the task of ridding the world of an evil creature. What he finds when he meets Rosa, however, confuses his notions of right and wrong. Over and over again, Luke witnesses Rosa's kindness to himself and others. At first, he's able to convince himself that it's some sort of trickery, but after a while, he's not so sure. She even goes so far as to claim that (what she assumes was) a mistake he made with her saddle was her fault. And since he can see her magic, he can also see her use of it to cover up the bruises that her family gives her to keep her compliant. The last thing he wants is to feel pity for her, but he can't seem to stop himself.
I thought it was interesting that the author didn't pull out the insta-love and have him immediately stop trying to kill her. Because even though he wrestles with his conscience, his attempts on her life continue. I really almost couldn't believe that such a likable character could be so dense, and I found myself mentally screaming at him to Cut That Shit Out! more than once. In that sense, the author rocked this story. Because on one hand you just fall in love with Rosa, and on the other, you really feel for Luke. I mean, she has no idea that someone is out to get her! And on top of that, her family life is so fucked up, that you can't imagine she needs anything else to make it worse. But Luke has all of that childhood trauma to deal with, and let's not forget that pesky death sentence waiting for him if he fails. Well done!
Like I mentioned, this one took me a while to truly get into, but the last half of the book was really good. It's a series that I'm definitely looking forward to continuing in the future. Besides, look at that cover! Beautiful!
I received a digital copy of this ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Witch Finder was another one of those that took me a while to get into it, but once the story got going it turned out to be pretty good.
It opens with Luke being initiated into a group of witch hunters and drawing Rosa's name as his first kill. But there's a catch... If he doesn't complete his mission, then he will be the one that the brotherhood hunts down and kills. It sounds like these guys are hard-core assholes, but as the book goes on, you can see that they are probably just misguided. Especially Luke's uncle, who really loves and cares for Luke. As for Luke, he was a child when he witnessed a witch kill his parents, and he and his uncle have been fighting them ever since. Luke has the rare ability to see their magical aura and has been working with the brotherhood for years to identify witches for assassination. Now that he's old enough, he's ready to become a full-fledged member of the Malleus Maleficorum.
Rosa is a 16 year old witch who comes from one of the most powerful families in London. Now that her loving father is dead, she's been left to the mercy of her cruel brother and social-climbing mother. Even though she's a powerful witch, she can't do much to stop the abuse they both heap on her. They have plans to marry her off to a powerful sociopathic warlock. He's wanted Rosa for years, but growing up with him has given Rosa a glimpse into his evil nature. The thought of being married to him terrifies her, but she's not sure what she can do to stop it.
Meanwhile, the brotherhood sets up a position in Rosa's house for Luke, and he prepares himself for the task of ridding the world of an evil creature. What he finds when he meets Rosa, however, confuses his notions of right and wrong. Over and over again, Luke witnesses Rosa's kindness to himself and others. At first, he's able to convince himself that it's some sort of trickery, but after a while, he's not so sure. She even goes so far as to claim that (what she assumes was) a mistake he made with her saddle was her fault. And since he can see her magic, he can also see her use of it to cover up the bruises that her family gives her to keep her compliant. The last thing he wants is to feel pity for her, but he can't seem to stop himself.
I thought it was interesting that the author didn't pull out the insta-love and have him immediately stop trying to kill her. Because even though he wrestles with his conscience, his attempts on her life continue. I really almost couldn't believe that such a likable character could be so dense, and I found myself mentally screaming at him to Cut That Shit Out! more than once. In that sense, the author rocked this story. Because on one hand you just fall in love with Rosa, and on the other, you really feel for Luke. I mean, she has no idea that someone is out to get her! And on top of that, her family life is so fucked up, that you can't imagine she needs anything else to make it worse. But Luke has all of that childhood trauma to deal with, and let's not forget that pesky death sentence waiting for him if he fails. Well done!
Like I mentioned, this one took me a while to truly get into, but the last half of the book was really good. It's a series that I'm definitely looking forward to continuing in the future. Besides, look at that cover! Beautiful!
I received a digital copy of this ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
April 17, 2021
1 star
*exhales* First off, NO. I had to get that out of the way. I tried really hard to like Witch Finder. I went in with the lowest expectations possible, because several of my reader friends were reading it just before I did and warned me that it didn't look that good. A pity, because I still absolutely adore the cover. But, as it was a review copy, I went ahead and read it anyway. For the most part, I was not amused.
I received this review copy rather late and was in a bit of a reading slump, so to still have my review up reasonably on time, I read most of it in one sitting. A good thing too, because if I had put it down more than once, I can't promise that I would have picked it back up again. Reading it in one sitting also helped to engross me in the story, so much so that I was quite enjoying the middle part of it and debated whether it was worth 3 stars. But overall... no.
So Witch Finder promises us the story of a witch, Rosa, and a witch hunter, Luke, who is assigned to kill her as an initiation into a brotherhood of witch hunters. The plot, however, is stretched terribly thin. The beginning and end were rather boring and strayed into the realm of, "Huh? What?" Luke is on a mission to kill Rosa. You'd think there'd be more suspicion, plotting, etc., but no. He makes a couple attempts and quickly realizes he cares too much for Rosa, she's too much of an ordinary girl, for him to kill her. But where is the plot aside from that? I kept reading, trying to find it, but there was just no driving force to the story. A new plot arc is introduced in the last quarter of the book, and it was just really disjointed.
The world for that matter also made no sense to me. While it is our world in 1880, magic is in the world, and in the first couple chapters it's said that this is common knowledge. That fact is hardly used at all in the book. Sure, the witches are in hiding, and there's this secret brotherhood trying to kill them all, but ordinary people seem like they don't know witches exist, when according to the earlier chapters they should. And where do politics come in? There's some political body mentioned a few times, but no laws about witchcraft or anything. It was just so much missed potential. *sigh* The magic that is used in the book is also hardly noteworthy. Since Rosa has to be discrete about her magic around the house (given the normal human servants), the only spells we ever really see in this book are for things like starting a fire, mending some clothes, and making stains disappear. I mean really.
But for what it's worth, I did enjoy the romance between Luke and Rosa. It's the reason why I really enjoyed the middle of the book. I guess the way that Luke struggled with his fear of becoming a killer and his growing feelings for her did manage to touch my ice cold heart somehow. It wasn't instalove, really, although they do hop quickly to "I love you". That, however, I more or less accepted as part of the time period and of the dire circumstances they kept tumbling into. So I appreciated the romance, and it was probably the highlight of the book.
My largest issue with this book is the rampant and blatant sexism and female oppression. You might say, "Well, duh, Debby, it's set in 1880." Yes, I know, this is set in our world more or less (plus a tiny bit of magic) and that was basically the scene in the 19th century. Female oppression was a thing. It happened, certainly. But does that mean I want to read about it? Not exactly. Does that mean it should be blatantly shoved in my face like this? No. You're putting magic in this world, couldn't you have chilled a tiny bit on the living standards for females? Even if it's realistic, this crossed the line into serious uncomfortable territory.
So Rosa is from a family with good standing who recently lost all their fortune. Basically, their last hope is for Rosa to get married to a rich husband. They have their eye on Sebastian, another witch and long time family friend. Alexis, Rosa's brother, from the very start of the book commands Rosa around to do precisely as he says and more or less orders her to seduce Sebastian. Her mother basically does the same. Alexis is a prick and her mother actually slaps her for disobeying her. But Sebastian... oh, Sebastian, it turns out, is the hugest dick to ever grace this planet. On pretty much their first "date", he whips his dog to death for being disobediant. Rosa, after this, understandably is freaked the fuck out by him. She can hardly contain her fear. Her family tells her to get over it, because it was "just a dog". He then quickly, for whatever reason, decides that yes, he wants to marry Rosa. (Honestly I still can't understand this, because all throughout the book they mention that almost everyone knows that their family is broke, so why on earth would he want to marry her anyway? They don't have a good banter or talk much before he proposes anyway.) Then, he slips this ring on her finger that he magically tightens until she can never take it off. He starts referring to her as "his" and commanding her around.
Every second, she pretty much confesses that she's scared to death of this man. So after she gets engaged, she sneaks off to get some air and finds Luke. Luke has saved her life, and long story short, they kiss. Sebastian catches them, and BEATS HER TO A BLOODY PULP. He yells at her, screams that he'll kill her. This man is a raging psychopath. Words cannot describe the rage.
Do they break up after this? No. He doesn't leave her, even as he yells that he will not tolerate infidelity, and the reasoning is... he loves her? At least, that's what he keeps saying for the rest of the book. I'm still asking why. She has no fortune, which is public knowledge. She has reasonable looks. But he's wealthy as fuck. He surely could have found someone better. And then he could have gotten the fuck out of this book.
Like, did this happen, was it realistic in 1880? I'm sure to an extent it is. But that doesn't mean I want it in my books. Honestly, the book should come with a warning label, because there is some MAJOR abuse going on, not just from Sebastian, but also from Rosa's mother and brother. This was not at ALL what I was expecting from this book. It seriously made me uncomfortable, and every time I think about it since, I just have a hot flash of rage. No. Just no.
The ending also takes a major cop out. Not only does the villain stupidly reveal his plans to obviously let the two main characters escape safely, but how they escape happens in a toss up ~fade to black~. Thanks to Christina, I've found the apt term for this: Too Stupid To Die. If my earlier rage about female oppression wasn't enough, by this time I was just yelling, "FUCK THIS SHIT," but it was too late to DNF the book.
Summing Up:
I can't. I just can't. Just no. I tried so hard with this book, and for a while it had me fooled, but that's only because the romance played off my emotions. At most I would maybe have considered giving it 3 stars at some point, but I just can't. While I thought it was an interesting and possibly accurate depiction of the time period, the late 19th century, it's a depiction that just makes me rage. Hence the long review. I just cannot with this book. Can. Not. No.
GIF it to me straight!
Recommended To:
No one. Definitely no feminists. Stay away.
*ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you! This does not affect the rating or content of this review. Clearly.
*exhales* First off, NO. I had to get that out of the way. I tried really hard to like Witch Finder. I went in with the lowest expectations possible, because several of my reader friends were reading it just before I did and warned me that it didn't look that good. A pity, because I still absolutely adore the cover. But, as it was a review copy, I went ahead and read it anyway. For the most part, I was not amused.
I received this review copy rather late and was in a bit of a reading slump, so to still have my review up reasonably on time, I read most of it in one sitting. A good thing too, because if I had put it down more than once, I can't promise that I would have picked it back up again. Reading it in one sitting also helped to engross me in the story, so much so that I was quite enjoying the middle part of it and debated whether it was worth 3 stars. But overall... no.
So Witch Finder promises us the story of a witch, Rosa, and a witch hunter, Luke, who is assigned to kill her as an initiation into a brotherhood of witch hunters. The plot, however, is stretched terribly thin. The beginning and end were rather boring and strayed into the realm of, "Huh? What?" Luke is on a mission to kill Rosa. You'd think there'd be more suspicion, plotting, etc., but no. He makes a couple attempts and quickly realizes he cares too much for Rosa, she's too much of an ordinary girl, for him to kill her. But where is the plot aside from that? I kept reading, trying to find it, but there was just no driving force to the story. A new plot arc is introduced in the last quarter of the book, and it was just really disjointed.
The world for that matter also made no sense to me. While it is our world in 1880, magic is in the world, and in the first couple chapters it's said that this is common knowledge. That fact is hardly used at all in the book. Sure, the witches are in hiding, and there's this secret brotherhood trying to kill them all, but ordinary people seem like they don't know witches exist, when according to the earlier chapters they should. And where do politics come in? There's some political body mentioned a few times, but no laws about witchcraft or anything. It was just so much missed potential. *sigh* The magic that is used in the book is also hardly noteworthy. Since Rosa has to be discrete about her magic around the house (given the normal human servants), the only spells we ever really see in this book are for things like starting a fire, mending some clothes, and making stains disappear. I mean really.
But for what it's worth, I did enjoy the romance between Luke and Rosa. It's the reason why I really enjoyed the middle of the book. I guess the way that Luke struggled with his fear of becoming a killer and his growing feelings for her did manage to touch my ice cold heart somehow. It wasn't instalove, really, although they do hop quickly to "I love you". That, however, I more or less accepted as part of the time period and of the dire circumstances they kept tumbling into. So I appreciated the romance, and it was probably the highlight of the book.
My largest issue with this book is the rampant and blatant sexism and female oppression. You might say, "Well, duh, Debby, it's set in 1880." Yes, I know, this is set in our world more or less (plus a tiny bit of magic) and that was basically the scene in the 19th century. Female oppression was a thing. It happened, certainly. But does that mean I want to read about it? Not exactly. Does that mean it should be blatantly shoved in my face like this? No. You're putting magic in this world, couldn't you have chilled a tiny bit on the living standards for females? Even if it's realistic, this crossed the line into serious uncomfortable territory.
So Rosa is from a family with good standing who recently lost all their fortune. Basically, their last hope is for Rosa to get married to a rich husband. They have their eye on Sebastian, another witch and long time family friend. Alexis, Rosa's brother, from the very start of the book commands Rosa around to do precisely as he says and more or less orders her to seduce Sebastian. Her mother basically does the same. Alexis is a prick and her mother actually slaps her for disobeying her. But Sebastian... oh, Sebastian, it turns out, is the hugest dick to ever grace this planet. On pretty much their first "date", he whips his dog to death for being disobediant. Rosa, after this, understandably is freaked the fuck out by him. She can hardly contain her fear. Her family tells her to get over it, because it was "just a dog". He then quickly, for whatever reason, decides that yes, he wants to marry Rosa. (Honestly I still can't understand this, because all throughout the book they mention that almost everyone knows that their family is broke, so why on earth would he want to marry her anyway? They don't have a good banter or talk much before he proposes anyway.) Then, he slips this ring on her finger that he magically tightens until she can never take it off. He starts referring to her as "his" and commanding her around.
Every second, she pretty much confesses that she's scared to death of this man. So after she gets engaged, she sneaks off to get some air and finds Luke. Luke has saved her life, and long story short, they kiss. Sebastian catches them, and BEATS HER TO A BLOODY PULP. He yells at her, screams that he'll kill her. This man is a raging psychopath. Words cannot describe the rage.
Do they break up after this? No. He doesn't leave her, even as he yells that he will not tolerate infidelity, and the reasoning is... he loves her? At least, that's what he keeps saying for the rest of the book. I'm still asking why. She has no fortune, which is public knowledge. She has reasonable looks. But he's wealthy as fuck. He surely could have found someone better. And then he could have gotten the fuck out of this book.
Like, did this happen, was it realistic in 1880? I'm sure to an extent it is. But that doesn't mean I want it in my books. Honestly, the book should come with a warning label, because there is some MAJOR abuse going on, not just from Sebastian, but also from Rosa's mother and brother. This was not at ALL what I was expecting from this book. It seriously made me uncomfortable, and every time I think about it since, I just have a hot flash of rage. No. Just no.
The ending also takes a major cop out. Not only does the villain stupidly reveal his plans to obviously let the two main characters escape safely, but how they escape happens in a toss up ~fade to black~. Thanks to Christina, I've found the apt term for this: Too Stupid To Die. If my earlier rage about female oppression wasn't enough, by this time I was just yelling, "FUCK THIS SHIT," but it was too late to DNF the book.
Summing Up:
I can't. I just can't. Just no. I tried so hard with this book, and for a while it had me fooled, but that's only because the romance played off my emotions. At most I would maybe have considered giving it 3 stars at some point, but I just can't. While I thought it was an interesting and possibly accurate depiction of the time period, the late 19th century, it's a depiction that just makes me rage. Hence the long review. I just cannot with this book. Can. Not. No.
GIF it to me straight!
Recommended To:
No one. Definitely no feminists. Stay away.
*ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you! This does not affect the rating or content of this review. Clearly.
August 18, 2018
*2.5
This was a very generic and okay book for me, it didn’t really stand out or leave an impression.
When Luke joins the group of witch hunters, Malleous Maleficorum, he must face the initiation task, to randomly select a witch to hunt down and kill within a month, or face death himself. When he picks 16 year old Rosa Greenwood, Luke’s task turns out to be much harder than anticipated.
I found that there wasn’t anything special or memorable about this book and it’s characters. First we have Luke. A locksmith apprentice, Luke joins his uncle into a group of witch hunters after witnessing his parents murdered by a witch when he was young. Luke is the stereotypical strong and silent type with a tragic past. The only thing remotely interesting about him is his ability to see a witch’s magical aura, and even this is barely used. For him to survive, he must kill Rosa, however this is handled quite badly in my opinion as all Luke really does in the whole book in terms of his task is a few half-hearted attempts. There’s no planning or preparation, it’s just Luke taking the an opportunity when he sees it.
Then we have Rosa. A witch, she is left with an abusive brother and mother, planning to marry her off to a sociopathic warlock, after her loving father dies. Rosa is the typical fiery, beautiful, defiant and kind heroine. She was very standard and generic and the type of female protagonist I’ve read about more times then I can count.
This is a book about magic and witches, despite this magic was rarely used. Majority of the time, the magic used was for small or trivial things like healing minor injuries, fixing clothing, etcetera. To be honest, if the theme of magic and witches wasn’t so present in the plot, it would be very easy to forget that some of these characters are witches.
One of the things that kept coming to my mind was Sebastian wanting to marry Rosa. Why? Rosa has no fortune, and she is portrayed as very average in terms of other reasons he would want to marry her. This book takes place in the 1800s when marriage was something you did for convenience and social standings, not love. Rosa has nothing that would make a man like Sebastian, who only does something to help himself, want to marry her when a man of his wealth and social standing could have someone with a fortune.
I really didn’t care about the romance. It felt kind of out of nowhere and not at the same time, if that makes sense. I really liked that the author didn’t go in an instalove direction, however I felt that they wasn’t enough of the right development, this is quite hard to explain. While there was development between Luke and Rosa, it didn’t fell like the makings of a romance, so when they first kissed I felt that it kind of came out of the blue.
I also had issues with the ending. The ending felt very (again) out of the blue. We spent the whole book with Luke and Rosa, that nothing from the ending came up until the end! There was no building on it from the start or half way through. There was no chance for speculating or questioning. Also, Sebastian, the oh so clever genius villain he is (please note the sarcasm), reveals his evil plans and lets the two people who want to stop him escape. It all just felt rushed and all over the place for me.
Overall, I was very disappointed by this book. I found that it didn’t engage me at all and that I struggled to actually feel anything for the characters.
This was a very generic and okay book for me, it didn’t really stand out or leave an impression.
When Luke joins the group of witch hunters, Malleous Maleficorum, he must face the initiation task, to randomly select a witch to hunt down and kill within a month, or face death himself. When he picks 16 year old Rosa Greenwood, Luke’s task turns out to be much harder than anticipated.
I found that there wasn’t anything special or memorable about this book and it’s characters. First we have Luke. A locksmith apprentice, Luke joins his uncle into a group of witch hunters after witnessing his parents murdered by a witch when he was young. Luke is the stereotypical strong and silent type with a tragic past. The only thing remotely interesting about him is his ability to see a witch’s magical aura, and even this is barely used. For him to survive, he must kill Rosa, however this is handled quite badly in my opinion as all Luke really does in the whole book in terms of his task is a few half-hearted attempts. There’s no planning or preparation, it’s just Luke taking the an opportunity when he sees it.
Then we have Rosa. A witch, she is left with an abusive brother and mother, planning to marry her off to a sociopathic warlock, after her loving father dies. Rosa is the typical fiery, beautiful, defiant and kind heroine. She was very standard and generic and the type of female protagonist I’ve read about more times then I can count.
This is a book about magic and witches, despite this magic was rarely used. Majority of the time, the magic used was for small or trivial things like healing minor injuries, fixing clothing, etcetera. To be honest, if the theme of magic and witches wasn’t so present in the plot, it would be very easy to forget that some of these characters are witches.
One of the things that kept coming to my mind was Sebastian wanting to marry Rosa. Why? Rosa has no fortune, and she is portrayed as very average in terms of other reasons he would want to marry her. This book takes place in the 1800s when marriage was something you did for convenience and social standings, not love. Rosa has nothing that would make a man like Sebastian, who only does something to help himself, want to marry her when a man of his wealth and social standing could have someone with a fortune.
I really didn’t care about the romance. It felt kind of out of nowhere and not at the same time, if that makes sense. I really liked that the author didn’t go in an instalove direction, however I felt that they wasn’t enough of the right development, this is quite hard to explain. While there was development between Luke and Rosa, it didn’t fell like the makings of a romance, so when they first kissed I felt that it kind of came out of the blue.
I also had issues with the ending. The ending felt very (again) out of the blue. We spent the whole book with Luke and Rosa, that nothing from the ending came up until the end! There was no building on it from the start or half way through. There was no chance for speculating or questioning. Also, Sebastian, the oh so clever genius villain he is (please note the sarcasm), reveals his evil plans and lets the two people who want to stop him escape. It all just felt rushed and all over the place for me.
Overall, I was very disappointed by this book. I found that it didn’t engage me at all and that I struggled to actually feel anything for the characters.
October 16, 2017
I loved everything about it! It was simply but satisfying. One of my favourite books about witches!
November 18, 2014
4.5 ! Really enjoyed it!
July 12, 2015
A e-copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and have not been influenced by any person, place, or event.
A lot of people have been really cracking down on this book because it’s really nothing special to them. So I am opting out to not be the harsh critic I know I can be and looking at this from a fresh perspective. (If I look at this from an adult-who-has-read-way-too-many-YA-books viewpoint, I think I definitely would be among those who were disappointed by this book.)
Truth be told, this book is not for the frequent Young Adult reader. Nuh-uh. If you are one of those who reads YA books all the time and have been for some time, this book is kind of a let down. But on the other hand, Witch Finder is absolutely perfect for a beginner. Personally, I have read quite a lot of YA books so this didn’t really impress me but it’s still not the worst that there is.
Witch Finder is about Luke and Rosa and a world full of witches, set possibly somewhere in the late 1800s to early 1900s, considering there was one brief mention of photographs I believe. Luke has been assigned to kill Rosa as his first act of the brotherhood—a group of people fiercely dedicating themselves to wiping out all evil witchcraft. Rosa is a young sixteen-year-old girl trapped in a miserable life after her father’s death to take the burden of the family debt by choosing to sell herself into marriage so that her brother and mother can lead a better life.
There’s nothing very special about Luke and Rosa, and I think that’s what makes this book sort of stand out as a really good YA starter’s read. Luke is trapped between what is morally right and what is justifiably right. He goes to hunt Rosa down to realize that not everything in life is as black and white as it seems. Rosa, on the other hand, is slightly annoying in that not only the end of the book do I finally see something worthy in her. Admittedly, leaving your family to fend for themselves is easier said then done but I still wished she had just a little bit of courage to question some of the things and events happening around her. Luke and Rosa are two very average people, and in them I see great potential but the only way I see this series truly improving and morphing up to the standards I think daily YA readers have after a certain point is if the characters took more control of their situations and the story became a bit more creative.
Girl meets boy. Boy hates girl. Girl likes boy. Boy tries to kill girl. It’s not the most creative of plots but still an interesting story to read. I can certainly guarantee that this book was much better than Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick where the boy trying to kill the girl doesn’t actually seem to have much remorse and the girl gets off on almost-dying by his hands. I am not saying I absolutely loved and adored Luke, but of all the crappy YA boyfriends that authors write about, Luke is not even close to the worst that YA authors can make up. Actually, he would be among those people I really do like.
Another reason I find that the Witch Finder would be a great read for anyone just introduced to Young Adult books is because of the clear, simple writing Warburton presents. It’s very easy to keep up with and flows so wonderful from one scene to another that I actually finished this book in just a day. It’s extremely easy to read and follow this book and although I, personally, wouldn’t have mind more creativity, it’s still really good writing.
So in the end, I can understand why more “experienced” Young Adult readers might find this book kind of disappointing, it’s still a really good book for those who are slightly new to YA books. With really easy to follow writing and style and your average romantic dilemmas, I think Warburton did a pretty good job with the Witch Finder.
A lot of people have been really cracking down on this book because it’s really nothing special to them. So I am opting out to not be the harsh critic I know I can be and looking at this from a fresh perspective. (If I look at this from an adult-who-has-read-way-too-many-YA-books viewpoint, I think I definitely would be among those who were disappointed by this book.)
Truth be told, this book is not for the frequent Young Adult reader. Nuh-uh. If you are one of those who reads YA books all the time and have been for some time, this book is kind of a let down. But on the other hand, Witch Finder is absolutely perfect for a beginner. Personally, I have read quite a lot of YA books so this didn’t really impress me but it’s still not the worst that there is.
Witch Finder is about Luke and Rosa and a world full of witches, set possibly somewhere in the late 1800s to early 1900s, considering there was one brief mention of photographs I believe. Luke has been assigned to kill Rosa as his first act of the brotherhood—a group of people fiercely dedicating themselves to wiping out all evil witchcraft. Rosa is a young sixteen-year-old girl trapped in a miserable life after her father’s death to take the burden of the family debt by choosing to sell herself into marriage so that her brother and mother can lead a better life.
There’s nothing very special about Luke and Rosa, and I think that’s what makes this book sort of stand out as a really good YA starter’s read. Luke is trapped between what is morally right and what is justifiably right. He goes to hunt Rosa down to realize that not everything in life is as black and white as it seems. Rosa, on the other hand, is slightly annoying in that not only the end of the book do I finally see something worthy in her. Admittedly, leaving your family to fend for themselves is easier said then done but I still wished she had just a little bit of courage to question some of the things and events happening around her. Luke and Rosa are two very average people, and in them I see great potential but the only way I see this series truly improving and morphing up to the standards I think daily YA readers have after a certain point is if the characters took more control of their situations and the story became a bit more creative.
Girl meets boy. Boy hates girl. Girl likes boy. Boy tries to kill girl. It’s not the most creative of plots but still an interesting story to read. I can certainly guarantee that this book was much better than Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick where the boy trying to kill the girl doesn’t actually seem to have much remorse and the girl gets off on almost-dying by his hands. I am not saying I absolutely loved and adored Luke, but of all the crappy YA boyfriends that authors write about, Luke is not even close to the worst that YA authors can make up. Actually, he would be among those people I really do like.
Another reason I find that the Witch Finder would be a great read for anyone just introduced to Young Adult books is because of the clear, simple writing Warburton presents. It’s very easy to keep up with and flows so wonderful from one scene to another that I actually finished this book in just a day. It’s extremely easy to read and follow this book and although I, personally, wouldn’t have mind more creativity, it’s still really good writing.
So in the end, I can understand why more “experienced” Young Adult readers might find this book kind of disappointing, it’s still a really good book for those who are slightly new to YA books. With really easy to follow writing and style and your average romantic dilemmas, I think Warburton did a pretty good job with the Witch Finder.
November 25, 2013
Once again, I fell into the 'oh what a beautiful cover' trap with Witch Finder and, once again, it most definitely didn't live up to my expectations whatsoever. It was slow. It was unadventurous and lacking any entertainment value. The characters had no personality and were so unnatural most of the way through. I know it looks as though I'm seriously slating this book, but I've had a fair few let down books in the last few months, and I'm reaching my tether and maximum patience level. I had heard quite a few things, good things, about Ruth Warburton's other witchy series and had decided that if this book was that good, I would give the series a shot, however, I doubt I'll be touching any other of Ruth's books if the writing is the exact same style as was in this.
The premise of the book really had me hooked. I was excited to see the whole 'forbidden romance' aspect within an execution scenario and was intrigued at how Warburton would cover the emotions the characters were bound to feel throughout, yet for me, she just couldn't grasp that enough. Our leading lady was too naive and emotional for my liking, while our leading laddie was too stroppy and unprofessional. These two personalities mixed and smacked into one another just ended in me being very unimpressed and abandoning the book on more than one occasion, to the point of actually starting too other books in the time period it took to read Witch Finder. I found myself entirely bored throughout, reaching a respectable amount of words per night and giving in. When it came to the plotting to kill said witch, I had expected great things; a strong, determined young adult who wanted revenge on his parents death and was willing to do whatever it took to complete the task at hand move on to doing what he felt he was meant to do, however, I was given a moody, rude and quite temperamental teenager who quite frankly, couldn't help but get on my wick. However Rosa, who was still a very annoying and wimpy character at first, actually had the best character development I've seen in a while. She learnt tough lessons, understood the world better as her story progressed, and she found faith and strength in herself, which I always like in characters. In fact, other than the last big scene at the end of the book and the aspects covered throughout, Rosa's character development was the only other thing I actually enjoyed.
Aspects you say? Whats aspects? Isn't it just a guy trying to kill a witch? Oh no, you'd be wrong my friend, it covers aspects such as family abuse, abusive families, control over society and poverty. The poverty aspect is quite obvious, due to the time period and the social class differences throughout, but the abuse I felt was covered brilliantly. Abusive partners and relationships is pretty big in the news lately, and it showed that even the strongest of people can be affected and pushed into something they don't believe in. Alongside the abuse, forced marriages are also still rife in today's society, and I thought Warburton did well to cover and include all these features throughout the story, and make them all as important as the rest.
Overall, the story was a big let down. I wanted and expected a lot more from this book, but I didn't get it. It felt much more watered down that it had to be, and I won't be reading any other books from what is bound to be another trilogy, and possibly, anymore of Ruth Warburtons work.
2.5 Stars.
For more reviews and fun posts, check out the blog: Book Badger
The premise of the book really had me hooked. I was excited to see the whole 'forbidden romance' aspect within an execution scenario and was intrigued at how Warburton would cover the emotions the characters were bound to feel throughout, yet for me, she just couldn't grasp that enough. Our leading lady was too naive and emotional for my liking, while our leading laddie was too stroppy and unprofessional. These two personalities mixed and smacked into one another just ended in me being very unimpressed and abandoning the book on more than one occasion, to the point of actually starting too other books in the time period it took to read Witch Finder. I found myself entirely bored throughout, reaching a respectable amount of words per night and giving in. When it came to the plotting to kill said witch, I had expected great things; a strong, determined young adult who wanted revenge on his parents death and was willing to do whatever it took to complete the task at hand move on to doing what he felt he was meant to do, however, I was given a moody, rude and quite temperamental teenager who quite frankly, couldn't help but get on my wick. However Rosa, who was still a very annoying and wimpy character at first, actually had the best character development I've seen in a while. She learnt tough lessons, understood the world better as her story progressed, and she found faith and strength in herself, which I always like in characters. In fact, other than the last big scene at the end of the book and the aspects covered throughout, Rosa's character development was the only other thing I actually enjoyed.
Aspects you say? Whats aspects? Isn't it just a guy trying to kill a witch? Oh no, you'd be wrong my friend, it covers aspects such as family abuse, abusive families, control over society and poverty. The poverty aspect is quite obvious, due to the time period and the social class differences throughout, but the abuse I felt was covered brilliantly. Abusive partners and relationships is pretty big in the news lately, and it showed that even the strongest of people can be affected and pushed into something they don't believe in. Alongside the abuse, forced marriages are also still rife in today's society, and I thought Warburton did well to cover and include all these features throughout the story, and make them all as important as the rest.
Overall, the story was a big let down. I wanted and expected a lot more from this book, but I didn't get it. It felt much more watered down that it had to be, and I won't be reading any other books from what is bound to be another trilogy, and possibly, anymore of Ruth Warburtons work.
2.5 Stars.
For more reviews and fun posts, check out the blog: Book Badger
December 15, 2013
1,5Stars
Predictable. To say the least.
And suddenly they love each other- big shambang and it's over. umh. well. how to put this nicely? The plot.. not so good
World building mediocre.
The character building...What character BUILDING?!
The prose is the reason I rounded it up. Warburton's writing style is quite enjoyable.
Review
This sounded so good. I was really looking forward to this, Really I was.
But within 10pages or so I could have told where this is going. Seriously I kid you not. It's that predictable. Which kinda made this incredibly boring. But while I found it slightly disappointing, I had still some hope. See the plot was A to B to C, but Warburton's writing style is really enjoyable and I felt that maybe she will exceed in Character building. I wrote this off as a girly fantasy, thinking that I prefer the more epic fantasies, but that lots of female readers would so enjoy it. Just look at the cover. It is definitely gear for the girls. And the cover slut in me was drawn to book partly because it is a pretty cover after all. So I had hope. Surely Warburton, who obviously can write, will add something that will compel me. Character building will be ok. Something will be ok...as I said I had hope.
Well, at least for the first half of the book.Then it all went to the pits. There was insta-love, beyond predictable drama and still no character building.
While Warburton took care to describe a Victorian London and added some magic elements to it. I wasn't overly impressed by the world building. I would have preferred if she would have strayed more from the reality that the social classes presented in victorian England and added more fantasy to it. Looking at this as a historical novel, this is well researched. But somehow it doesn't work as social criticism. It's to cliche romance for that. And maybe if the character building would have been better, I would have felt more intrigued by the idea behind the world building. But as it is. It's real world just add some witches and magic- and that's the world of Witch Finder.
The character building is practically non-existent. As I said I had high hope here. But Warburton didn't come through on this part for me. I don't dislike Luke or Rosa. But I couldn't connect to either of them. Their connection to each other? A big question mark at best. I simply didn't buy it. I would have understood that Luke couldn't go through. But the sudden change of their relationship and their declarations?! UGH!! It ruined the book for me. If this wouldn't have been an ARC I would have stopped reading right there and then. And I felt like giving this 1Star at that point.
But I did finish, sadly I got no surprise even to the end. I am not quite sure where Warburton is going with this in her next book, but I got a pretty good idea. And sadly I have no interest in reading it.
Honestly if Warburton writing style wouldn't be that good I wouldn't have had hope and probably just excepted that it was a girly predictable light weight novel. BUT she can write, really well, and I feel let down. I think that this could have been better, way better.
Look while the main idea isn't new, the romance predictable there is potential here and Warburton should have dug deeper and somehow made it more.
This is a book for girls that feel like a light historical romance with some magical elements. If you like me have read countless fantasies- a witch book being one of your first books you read - you might, just like me, be left disappointed
Predictable. To say the least.
And suddenly they love each other- big shambang and it's over. umh. well. how to put this nicely? The plot.. not so good
World building mediocre.
The character building...What character BUILDING?!
The prose is the reason I rounded it up. Warburton's writing style is quite enjoyable.
Review
This sounded so good. I was really looking forward to this, Really I was.
But within 10pages or so I could have told where this is going. Seriously I kid you not. It's that predictable. Which kinda made this incredibly boring. But while I found it slightly disappointing, I had still some hope. See the plot was A to B to C, but Warburton's writing style is really enjoyable and I felt that maybe she will exceed in Character building. I wrote this off as a girly fantasy, thinking that I prefer the more epic fantasies, but that lots of female readers would so enjoy it. Just look at the cover. It is definitely gear for the girls. And the cover slut in me was drawn to book partly because it is a pretty cover after all. So I had hope. Surely Warburton, who obviously can write, will add something that will compel me. Character building will be ok. Something will be ok...as I said I had hope.
Well, at least for the first half of the book.Then it all went to the pits. There was insta-love, beyond predictable drama and still no character building.
While Warburton took care to describe a Victorian London and added some magic elements to it. I wasn't overly impressed by the world building. I would have preferred if she would have strayed more from the reality that the social classes presented in victorian England and added more fantasy to it. Looking at this as a historical novel, this is well researched. But somehow it doesn't work as social criticism. It's to cliche romance for that. And maybe if the character building would have been better, I would have felt more intrigued by the idea behind the world building. But as it is. It's real world just add some witches and magic- and that's the world of Witch Finder.
The character building is practically non-existent. As I said I had high hope here. But Warburton didn't come through on this part for me. I don't dislike Luke or Rosa. But I couldn't connect to either of them. Their connection to each other? A big question mark at best. I simply didn't buy it. I would have understood that Luke couldn't go through. But the sudden change of their relationship and their declarations?! UGH!! It ruined the book for me. If this wouldn't have been an ARC I would have stopped reading right there and then. And I felt like giving this 1Star at that point.
But I did finish, sadly I got no surprise even to the end. I am not quite sure where Warburton is going with this in her next book, but I got a pretty good idea. And sadly I have no interest in reading it.
Honestly if Warburton writing style wouldn't be that good I wouldn't have had hope and probably just excepted that it was a girly predictable light weight novel. BUT she can write, really well, and I feel let down. I think that this could have been better, way better.
Look while the main idea isn't new, the romance predictable there is potential here and Warburton should have dug deeper and somehow made it more.
This is a book for girls that feel like a light historical romance with some magical elements. If you like me have read countless fantasies- a witch book being one of your first books you read - you might, just like me, be left disappointed
August 4, 2016
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
There's no doubt in my mind that Witch Finder is going to be someone's five-star book. That someone loves to read about fin de siècle England, impoverished nobility, betrothals, and horses. That someone doesn't require for a witch book to have a whole lot of witch action. They don't mind that all witches are evil and abusive except for one of the main characters, who often serves as the personal punchbag for said evil, abusive witches. The tepid romance and the bland characters don't bother them, because the atmosphere is so rich and there is just something about this book that keeps them reading.
Personally, I am disappointed. I hear "witches" and I immediately think of shenanigans, altercations, stakes, and pure power that makes me flail all over the room. I got all that, but not in the form I would have liked. It didn't make me flail. It made me sigh. As a witch, Rosa is such a repressed character. We are supposed to believe she's this incredibly powerful witch, but it's not like she ever truly showcases it. I can partly understand this. She lives in fear of her brother, her mother, and their tempers. She needs to be careful with using magic because the servants aren't supposed to know their masters are witches. It made sense in the scope of the story, but I would have liked more magic and less "caution".
I hear "turn-of-the-century witches" and I think: Mystery! Potions hidden in skirts! Secret societies! Nature losing its shit! Again, I kind of got that, but not to my satisfaction. The story begins with Luke's initiation into a brotherhood that hunts and kills witches. For some reason, witches can be of all genders, but their hunters are exclusively male. Right. This is also the only information we get about the Brotherhood. There is no insight into its inner workings or even its history. The Malleus Maleficorum are just there. Since Witch Finder is told in limited third person POV, this state of affairs does seem plausible, but I would have liked to know what exactly drives this brotherhood. "Witches are evil" just doesn't do it for me as an explanation, because witches are awesome.
Read the rest on The Random Transliterator.
There's no doubt in my mind that Witch Finder is going to be someone's five-star book. That someone loves to read about fin de siècle England, impoverished nobility, betrothals, and horses. That someone doesn't require for a witch book to have a whole lot of witch action. They don't mind that all witches are evil and abusive except for one of the main characters, who often serves as the personal punchbag for said evil, abusive witches. The tepid romance and the bland characters don't bother them, because the atmosphere is so rich and there is just something about this book that keeps them reading.
Personally, I am disappointed. I hear "witches" and I immediately think of shenanigans, altercations, stakes, and pure power that makes me flail all over the room. I got all that, but not in the form I would have liked. It didn't make me flail. It made me sigh. As a witch, Rosa is such a repressed character. We are supposed to believe she's this incredibly powerful witch, but it's not like she ever truly showcases it. I can partly understand this. She lives in fear of her brother, her mother, and their tempers. She needs to be careful with using magic because the servants aren't supposed to know their masters are witches. It made sense in the scope of the story, but I would have liked more magic and less "caution".
I hear "turn-of-the-century witches" and I think: Mystery! Potions hidden in skirts! Secret societies! Nature losing its shit! Again, I kind of got that, but not to my satisfaction. The story begins with Luke's initiation into a brotherhood that hunts and kills witches. For some reason, witches can be of all genders, but their hunters are exclusively male. Right. This is also the only information we get about the Brotherhood. There is no insight into its inner workings or even its history. The Malleus Maleficorum are just there. Since Witch Finder is told in limited third person POV, this state of affairs does seem plausible, but I would have liked to know what exactly drives this brotherhood. "Witches are evil" just doesn't do it for me as an explanation, because witches are awesome.
Read the rest on The Random Transliterator.
December 6, 2013
Not at all what I expected!
The synopsis drew me and I imagined myself reading about a hunt with magic spells and a lot of fighting. I was expecting explosions as if Van Helsing had crossed the road of the witches from Charmed in the London of the late nineteenth century.
Well my imagination is definitely too violent and too crazy ...
No much magic but I had the right to read about an initiation rite quite interesting but too short. A witch, with a big heart, who lives in a penniless aristocrat family. She will be sold to help her relatives to keep their reputation and replenish their funds.
Physical abuse of women, attempted murder, child labor exploitation ... Wow! That's a lot for one book, right? But, you will not get bored!
The plot is rich. As if Charles Dickens had met the Brothers Grimm! But I would have liked to see more magic.
Instead, I have plunged skillfully into a social reality, well portrayed.
An unexpected story, addictive, that hooked me, even if my imagination had anticipated something else.
A beautiful story with strong and engaging characters.
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
The synopsis drew me and I imagined myself reading about a hunt with magic spells and a lot of fighting. I was expecting explosions as if Van Helsing had crossed the road of the witches from Charmed in the London of the late nineteenth century.
Well my imagination is definitely too violent and too crazy ...
No much magic but I had the right to read about an initiation rite quite interesting but too short. A witch, with a big heart, who lives in a penniless aristocrat family. She will be sold to help her relatives to keep their reputation and replenish their funds.
Physical abuse of women, attempted murder, child labor exploitation ... Wow! That's a lot for one book, right? But, you will not get bored!
The plot is rich. As if Charles Dickens had met the Brothers Grimm! But I would have liked to see more magic.
Instead, I have plunged skillfully into a social reality, well portrayed.
An unexpected story, addictive, that hooked me, even if my imagination had anticipated something else.
A beautiful story with strong and engaging characters.
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
April 17, 2019
Okay, so overall I have to say that I really enjoyed this book! Normally I tend to stick with thrillers or contemporaries so reading a book about witches is quite a change for me. I love the fact that this story is set in 1880, it added some extra depth to the writing and overall plot which I don’t think would have happened had it been set in modern day. The descriptions in this book were stunning and I liked that more complex vocabulary was used despite this being a YA story. The only reason this book isn’t getting 5 stars is because I felt that certain aspects needed a bit more development and I think that more of a backstory should have been given on both of the main characters. However, there is a sequel available so some more insight into this world of witches in 1880’s London will hopefully be given! So in closing, I feel like this is a highly underrated story and I definitely think more people should give it a go - 4 stars🌟🌟🌟🌟
March 17, 2014
3.5 stars
Before I review this book, let me tell you a story from my childhood …
It was a warm day in early summer and I was 10 years old. Anticipation was in the air in my primary school as the summer holidays crept closer and closer. And instead of doing stupid maths in class we were reading a book – all morning! How great was that? And it was a pretty good book, I really liked the boy’s dog …
And then the dog got shot. And I cried. Not just welled up – burst into tears. Everyone stared. But I didn’t stop crying. Everyone laughed, but it was just too damn sad. I got sent out of the classroom in the end to read a book in which the dog didn’t die (I got to keep that book as well so it wasn’t a completely bad day). I still haven’t lived it down.
Many years have passed since then and I would like to think I have changed and grown. But I haven’t really – I still can’t stand it when animals die in books (or films). I have read books about violence against humans managed to get just the right amount of upset but animals … no no, can’t handle it.
The animal cruelty in Witchfinder was about character development I think. And then to drive the plot forward I guess. But I think it was too much, and there were other ways to do both of these things. It was too graphic for me to be comfortable with. It certainly won’t be a problem for all readers but personally I am a massive baby when it comes to that.
Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy Witch Finder. The historical setting was detailed, and clearly well researched. The contrast between rich and poor Victorian lives reminded me of an Elizabeth Gaskell novel, and considering Gaskell was writing about her own time, it is pretty impressive that Warburton managed to capture that feeling.
I liked the characters but I don’t feel they quite reached their potential as fully formed characters, as if the writer was holding back a little bit. I did like Luke and appreciated his conflict at his mission when meeting Rosa, but the moment that he suddenly loves her seems a little sudden. There is, of course an “incident” which is highly emotional and I totally get that he decides that he cannot carry out the task, but I don’t think there was enough interaction between Rosa and Luke for them to even really know each other well enough to be in love. There are very few scenes in which the two are actually alone together.
I did like Rosa, especially when she demanded to see the reality of the business which will be potentially making her rich, and I feel that she did display strength in the end. All we need now is for her to stand up to her damn mother and brother.
The writer does seem to assume that the reader has read The Winter Trilogy, for example the Ealdwitan and the Malleus itself aren’t really explained, you just get the basics. Having read the Winter Trilogy, however, I found it interesting to see the Malleus brotherhood in a different age and from a different perspective. These are good men who genuinely believe they are aiding the world.
I feel as if the author was almost purposely holding back on aspects of character and plot to keep something for the other two books of the trilogy, which makes me think that perhaps this story might have been better as a standalone. The Winter Trilogy was really strong character wise and so I have faith that this will develop!
Overall I did enjoy the book and have hopes that the next books will satisfy me just that little bit more.
Before I review this book, let me tell you a story from my childhood …
It was a warm day in early summer and I was 10 years old. Anticipation was in the air in my primary school as the summer holidays crept closer and closer. And instead of doing stupid maths in class we were reading a book – all morning! How great was that? And it was a pretty good book, I really liked the boy’s dog …
And then the dog got shot. And I cried. Not just welled up – burst into tears. Everyone stared. But I didn’t stop crying. Everyone laughed, but it was just too damn sad. I got sent out of the classroom in the end to read a book in which the dog didn’t die (I got to keep that book as well so it wasn’t a completely bad day). I still haven’t lived it down.
Many years have passed since then and I would like to think I have changed and grown. But I haven’t really – I still can’t stand it when animals die in books (or films). I have read books about violence against humans managed to get just the right amount of upset but animals … no no, can’t handle it.
The animal cruelty in Witchfinder was about character development I think. And then to drive the plot forward I guess. But I think it was too much, and there were other ways to do both of these things. It was too graphic for me to be comfortable with. It certainly won’t be a problem for all readers but personally I am a massive baby when it comes to that.
Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy Witch Finder. The historical setting was detailed, and clearly well researched. The contrast between rich and poor Victorian lives reminded me of an Elizabeth Gaskell novel, and considering Gaskell was writing about her own time, it is pretty impressive that Warburton managed to capture that feeling.
I liked the characters but I don’t feel they quite reached their potential as fully formed characters, as if the writer was holding back a little bit. I did like Luke and appreciated his conflict at his mission when meeting Rosa, but the moment that he suddenly loves her seems a little sudden. There is, of course an “incident” which is highly emotional and I totally get that he decides that he cannot carry out the task, but I don’t think there was enough interaction between Rosa and Luke for them to even really know each other well enough to be in love. There are very few scenes in which the two are actually alone together.
I did like Rosa, especially when she demanded to see the reality of the business which will be potentially making her rich, and I feel that she did display strength in the end. All we need now is for her to stand up to her damn mother and brother.
The writer does seem to assume that the reader has read The Winter Trilogy, for example the Ealdwitan and the Malleus itself aren’t really explained, you just get the basics. Having read the Winter Trilogy, however, I found it interesting to see the Malleus brotherhood in a different age and from a different perspective. These are good men who genuinely believe they are aiding the world.
I feel as if the author was almost purposely holding back on aspects of character and plot to keep something for the other two books of the trilogy, which makes me think that perhaps this story might have been better as a standalone. The Winter Trilogy was really strong character wise and so I have faith that this will develop!
Overall I did enjoy the book and have hopes that the next books will satisfy me just that little bit more.
January 7, 2014
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...
Witch Finder wasn’t at all what I’d expected. From the description, I imagined magic battles, spell-wielding, evil sorcerers, and the likes. What I got instead was calmer, but nevertheless interesting.
Luke is a Witch Finder, which means he can spot witches right away – he sees their magic sparkling and cracking all around them. This gift may be the consequence of one fateful night, when his parents were murdered at the hands of a witch. Ever since, Luke has hated them, and he’ll do whatever he can to stop them, including joining a mysterious brotherhood intend on destroying all witches.
As his final task to be accepted into the brotherhood, he must slay a witch. The witch he picks, is Rosa Greenwood, whose family has strong connections to the Knyvets, one of the most powerful witch families. It’s a suicide mission, according to his uncle. But fate has chosen, and Luke must go.
But he never expected Rosa to be so kind-hearted, with so much love for everyone, he never expected her life in danger by anyone but himself. He thought he hated all witches, but he was wrong…
I liked Rosa. She had a charming personality, the kind of good-natured person who people can’t help but love. I wish she’d used her powers a bit more though, especially when she really needed them. It’s like she’s convinced she’s weak, while in reality she isn’t, but nothing that happens can change her mind about it. I loved how much she cared for animals, and other people.
Luke was a bit meh. He didn’t have a lot of personality, and in all honesty, Sebastian seemed more like the main character than Luke. Luke was passive, going through things without actually changing them, except every now and then. Yet I felt I didn’t really know him, besides that he wanted vengeance on all witches.
My favorite character was, hands down, Sebastian. But at the same time, he frustrated me. What was real about him, and what wasn’t? Did he really care for Rosa? If not, then why chase her, why try to persuade her? What are his eventual motives? He changed emotions in the blink of an eye, which was intriguing, but at the same time, needed a reason, when no real reason was given. Was he mad, like his father? Does he have an evil plan? I still don’t know, and I wanted to know. I like dark characters, and Sebastian had enough darkness to really intrigue me, but it seemed like he was a shadow of a person, and needed to be fleshed out more. There needed to be reasons behind his behavior, no matter how conflicting they were. I wanted to look into his head and find out, and I hope in the sequel we find out more about him and why he did the things he did.
The writing was great. The story jumped right into the action at the beginning, and while it was calmer at times, the pacing didn’t slow down.
A great read for fans of witches and young adult in particular. Very imaginative, with memorable characters and setting.
Witch Finder wasn’t at all what I’d expected. From the description, I imagined magic battles, spell-wielding, evil sorcerers, and the likes. What I got instead was calmer, but nevertheless interesting.
Luke is a Witch Finder, which means he can spot witches right away – he sees their magic sparkling and cracking all around them. This gift may be the consequence of one fateful night, when his parents were murdered at the hands of a witch. Ever since, Luke has hated them, and he’ll do whatever he can to stop them, including joining a mysterious brotherhood intend on destroying all witches.
As his final task to be accepted into the brotherhood, he must slay a witch. The witch he picks, is Rosa Greenwood, whose family has strong connections to the Knyvets, one of the most powerful witch families. It’s a suicide mission, according to his uncle. But fate has chosen, and Luke must go.
But he never expected Rosa to be so kind-hearted, with so much love for everyone, he never expected her life in danger by anyone but himself. He thought he hated all witches, but he was wrong…
I liked Rosa. She had a charming personality, the kind of good-natured person who people can’t help but love. I wish she’d used her powers a bit more though, especially when she really needed them. It’s like she’s convinced she’s weak, while in reality she isn’t, but nothing that happens can change her mind about it. I loved how much she cared for animals, and other people.
Luke was a bit meh. He didn’t have a lot of personality, and in all honesty, Sebastian seemed more like the main character than Luke. Luke was passive, going through things without actually changing them, except every now and then. Yet I felt I didn’t really know him, besides that he wanted vengeance on all witches.
My favorite character was, hands down, Sebastian. But at the same time, he frustrated me. What was real about him, and what wasn’t? Did he really care for Rosa? If not, then why chase her, why try to persuade her? What are his eventual motives? He changed emotions in the blink of an eye, which was intriguing, but at the same time, needed a reason, when no real reason was given. Was he mad, like his father? Does he have an evil plan? I still don’t know, and I wanted to know. I like dark characters, and Sebastian had enough darkness to really intrigue me, but it seemed like he was a shadow of a person, and needed to be fleshed out more. There needed to be reasons behind his behavior, no matter how conflicting they were. I wanted to look into his head and find out, and I hope in the sequel we find out more about him and why he did the things he did.
The writing was great. The story jumped right into the action at the beginning, and while it was calmer at times, the pacing didn’t slow down.
A great read for fans of witches and young adult in particular. Very imaginative, with memorable characters and setting.
December 18, 2013
3.5 Stars!
Stories about witches have always been my most favorite. My first foray into the world of paranormal and will always hold a special place in my heart. Who wouldn't want to be magical? To conjure something up with the snap of a finger or in the blink of an eye or the wave of a wand?
It just so happens, a good rich historical setting is also one of my most favorite things to read but also sadly one that is seriously neglected. It is so hard to find a good young adult read set in historical times, let alone a paranormal one. To find one that combines the two, is always a treat and one I will undoubtedly pick up. One set in London? Even better.
Despite all my knowledge of how women were treated and how hard life was for anyone without money or means, I still find this era in our history one that is fascinating and somewhat magical. With all the glorious dresses and balls, tea times and strolls through the gardens, it is hard not to fall in love with it all.
I loved that not only did this have that historic detail that I really do crave from time to time but it also had that paranormal aspect to keep it interesting and exciting too.
While this read didn't completely blow me away it did hold my attention and left me wanting to turn the pages to the very end. Luke and Rosa couldn't be more different or more the same if they tried. Two people from entirely different backgrounds, upbringing and social class, not to mention the element of magic they each possess. Yet these two people are both alone, both afraid and come together to save one another when they should be sworn enemies, I couldn't help but like them both.
My only regret with the story was the ending. I just wish it would have had a little more umph, a little more story to tell. I have no idea if there will be a sequel, I looked but didn't see anything about one but I can only hope that there will be. I think there is more story to tell, more struggles to overcome and more romance that can blossom.
Overall this was a fun read that truly helped get me out of a reading funk and leave me wanting to read more historic paranormal in the future because I really do enjoy them. I do have to warm you though, there are some harder to read moments in this that involve cruelty of animals and while not too graphic were still very difficult for someone like me that loves animals.
Stories about witches have always been my most favorite. My first foray into the world of paranormal and will always hold a special place in my heart. Who wouldn't want to be magical? To conjure something up with the snap of a finger or in the blink of an eye or the wave of a wand?
It just so happens, a good rich historical setting is also one of my most favorite things to read but also sadly one that is seriously neglected. It is so hard to find a good young adult read set in historical times, let alone a paranormal one. To find one that combines the two, is always a treat and one I will undoubtedly pick up. One set in London? Even better.
Despite all my knowledge of how women were treated and how hard life was for anyone without money or means, I still find this era in our history one that is fascinating and somewhat magical. With all the glorious dresses and balls, tea times and strolls through the gardens, it is hard not to fall in love with it all.
I loved that not only did this have that historic detail that I really do crave from time to time but it also had that paranormal aspect to keep it interesting and exciting too.
While this read didn't completely blow me away it did hold my attention and left me wanting to turn the pages to the very end. Luke and Rosa couldn't be more different or more the same if they tried. Two people from entirely different backgrounds, upbringing and social class, not to mention the element of magic they each possess. Yet these two people are both alone, both afraid and come together to save one another when they should be sworn enemies, I couldn't help but like them both.
My only regret with the story was the ending. I just wish it would have had a little more umph, a little more story to tell. I have no idea if there will be a sequel, I looked but didn't see anything about one but I can only hope that there will be. I think there is more story to tell, more struggles to overcome and more romance that can blossom.
Overall this was a fun read that truly helped get me out of a reading funk and leave me wanting to read more historic paranormal in the future because I really do enjoy them. I do have to warm you though, there are some harder to read moments in this that involve cruelty of animals and while not too graphic were still very difficult for someone like me that loves animals.
December 14, 2013
Took me long enough to read this one. I was closed to DNF-ing but I cannot, for the life of me, do that again to Deniz. >_< She finished it so I must suck it up and be done with it.
One reason I do not like historical setting was the mindset of the characters. Women are a whole lot weaker than men thing, the this is God's will (killing a witch) thing, I kinda hate the society back in early 17th or 18th century.
There is no way that God would want you to kill a human being and pass it as His judgement. It is so wrong to make it sound like it was His will. No. Just. NO. Main reason why I stay away from Historical. But anyway...
This book bored me to death. I struggled to finish it. I wanted to be done with it. I skimmed the over description (IMO) of surroundings, etc. It is the only way to make me finish it. It was so predictable and SO SLOW. The pacing is so damn slow that it feels like unacceptable. LOL.
And yes, I would not be reading the next book. I don't wanna torture myself. I'd rather read House Of Night than this historical setting witch book. I am sorry but I did not enjoy it one bit.
But if Historical is your thing and you wouldn't mind a slow paced book, then you might want to read this. Well, warned you.
One reason I do not like historical setting was the mindset of the characters. Women are a whole lot weaker than men thing, the this is God's will (killing a witch) thing, I kinda hate the society back in early 17th or 18th century.
There is no way that God would want you to kill a human being and pass it as His judgement. It is so wrong to make it sound like it was His will. No. Just. NO. Main reason why I stay away from Historical. But anyway...
This book bored me to death. I struggled to finish it. I wanted to be done with it. I skimmed the over description (IMO) of surroundings, etc. It is the only way to make me finish it. It was so predictable and SO SLOW. The pacing is so damn slow that it feels like unacceptable. LOL.
And yes, I would not be reading the next book. I don't wanna torture myself. I'd rather read House Of Night than this historical setting witch book. I am sorry but I did not enjoy it one bit.
But if Historical is your thing and you wouldn't mind a slow paced book, then you might want to read this. Well, warned you.
January 17, 2015
I couldn't bring myself to finish this book. This isn't through any major fault of the author's, actually, but because it was just not engaging enough.
The two main characters, Luke and Rosa, are nothing special. They're practically made from stereotyped moulds of YA characters: Luke is the strong, silent one with a traumatic past and revenge that he just can't bring himself to carry out, and Rosa is the typical fiery, beautiful, defiant girl who would rather be free in the country than stifled in the city and unable to use her special powers. Their supposed 'love' stems from a sudden moment some length into the book, and it was more than a little unbelievable.
Witch Finder just didn't have oomph, the juggernaut factor. Put plainly, it's boring.
The two main characters, Luke and Rosa, are nothing special. They're practically made from stereotyped moulds of YA characters: Luke is the strong, silent one with a traumatic past and revenge that he just can't bring himself to carry out, and Rosa is the typical fiery, beautiful, defiant girl who would rather be free in the country than stifled in the city and unable to use her special powers. Their supposed 'love' stems from a sudden moment some length into the book, and it was more than a little unbelievable.
Witch Finder just didn't have oomph, the juggernaut factor. Put plainly, it's boring.
June 3, 2015
★★★★
Sometimes there is beauty in simplicity.
Simple.
The writing,the plot, the characters, and yet it was very satisfying.
From the beginning I knew that Luke was going to fall for Rosa. Yeah cliche but hey, I went ahead with it because I wanted to see if and how the author would entwine both these characters fates together.
How he would fall for her and why?
The author was more than able to show me, and in a way that was simple and beautiful.
Sometimes there is beauty in simplicity.
Simple.
The writing,the plot, the characters, and yet it was very satisfying.
From the beginning I knew that Luke was going to fall for Rosa. Yeah cliche but hey, I went ahead with it because I wanted to see if and how the author would entwine both these characters fates together.
How he would fall for her and why?
The author was more than able to show me, and in a way that was simple and beautiful.
July 17, 2014
I've read some quite mixed reviews on this book but I must say that none of the more negative ones dented my enthusiasm for this book in the slightest and I'm really glad that I didn't let other people's opinions influence me in any way or I might have missed a little gem of a book!
Witch Finder is one of those books that gives you it's overall impressions in the first few chapters and the impression I got was that this was going to be a fabulous read and one I would quickly munch my through, and I was so right.
We start the book in the company of Luke Lexton in a London long gone but it's not quite our London as this word is full of magic and witchcraft. Luke is the would-be Witch Finder of the title. He is about to undergo the trials that will see him initiated into the Malleus Maleficorum, a brotherhood who's only purpose in this finding, hunting and killing of witches. Luke obviously has a past that has pushed him into this direction but it's shrouded in mystery at the beginning of the book, something has happened to him but we don't know what. Saying that Luke lives with his uncle, who is a member of the Brotherhood and works in his uncle's forge so maybe it's family duty to his uncle that has made Luke want to join the Brotherhood. As part of his initiation he has to pick a random name from a book, the name of a known witch, and then go out and kill the witch in question. The name he chooses is that of sixteen year old Rosamund Greenwood, a witch with and infamous brother with close ties to other feared and renowned witches that are part of The Ealdwitan - the witch elite of England and the ruling council of witches with members within the Houses of Commons and Lords. This twist of fate will be life changing for Luke but if only he knew what he was getting himself in to and how will the Luke's BIG secret influence him!
The chapters switch each time between Luke and his potential victim Rosa. When we meet Rosa Greenwood we find that she comes from a family who were wealthy when her father was alive, but after her father died the riches began to recede and slowly, bit by bit, the family are losing everything, falling on ever increasing hard times. The Greenwood's are a family of witches who openly used their magic, they used to be able to use it more openly in their own home when all the staff were also magic users but hard times have meant the magic servants are all gone and they are now staffed with 'outwiths, non-magical staff who don't know about magic. So now the family use there magic in secret and only among other magic users. Rosa has relatively strong magic, more than her brother (which causes jealously in itself) and knows that one day she'll need to be the key to her family regaining it's standing, knowing she'll have to marry for money and privilege but not wanting it. You get the impression that she was a daddy's girl when her father was alive and used to getting her own way but without her father the affection towards her is lacking. Rosa soon becomes aware that her mother and brother have someone in mind for Rosa to marry but is he someone she could tolerate being married to or will she be exchanging one gilded cage for another?
What is there to love about this book?
Erm...... EVERYTHING! I seriously loved everything about this book. It merges together two of my favourite genres of book so seamlessly it's amazing and that's historical fiction and paranormal fiction. Witches and witch-hunters with a good historical and completely believable background. I think taking the book away from modern contemporary ties was a genius move as it makes the book very different from other recent witch based books and it gives the book a completely different feel to it. The books grips you from the first few chapters and doesn't let up. The pacing is consistent and on the whole the book is well executed. The twists are fascinating and they keep you right on your toes, I didn't see them coming although maybe I should have. It's an enticing, imaginative and easy read with a plot that's simple to follow and I practically devoured the book whole.
Was there anything not so good?
I totally enjoyed it so it's hard to think of anything not so good about it. maybe it's a little predictable when it comes to Luke attempting to kill Rosa and where his attempts lead them both, and it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out where the romance side of the tale is going to come from but none of that detracts form the book at all for me
Was it an interesting read?
I found it to be a very interesting read but then again witch tales are interesting more often than not are interesting to me. The use of an alternate England that's basically the same as our own historic London with the additional of magic, that most people don't even know exists was a wonderful decision as it gives the author room to play around with it all a bit and that just adds to the feel of the time and circumstance. You still find the grit, grime and utter desolation of London in the late 1880's but it gains an added depth with the secret of the magic.
Was it enjoyable to read?
Completely and it took my surprise how enjoyable I found it. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting and I can't say I had low expectations of it as I didn't but still what I got was something much better and much more than I expected in more ways than one. When I closed the book I was left with a feeling of welcome surprise at what I read, I had a glimpse into a brand new world that drew me right in and made me want to stay within the pages along with a desperate need to find out how things were going to play out in the next book, such a need that I just had to start the next book right then, so I did!
Was it a well written book?
I didn't fin anything glaringly wrong with it and it made a nice change to read a finished book after a long period of reading uncorrected proofs and the like/ The plot was well paced, well thought out and well handled in general. The character has good development and all had their own quirks of character that made them stand out in their own right, you could FEEL Luke's sense of duty to the Brotherhood, Rosa's lingering grief at the loss of her father, Rosa's brother's desperation to regain some standing with his peers and so on. The book was full of potential for the future of the series, full of possibilities and directions that could be taken so it's going to fun to see where the next book will take me.
Would you recommend it to others?
I would, it's a lot of fun with plenty to keep everyone happy. History for historical fiction fans, witches and magic for paranormal fans, romance for those who need there love fix and it's all wrapped up in a YA book for everyone so will appeal to all ages, from teenagers to those older readers like me who are unashamed to still be reading YA as some of the best book out there are YA books, and this is one of them in my opinion. I'm glad book 2 Witch Hunt is now out (as of June) and that I have it too hand so I don't have to wait to see what happens next but I'm sure the wait for book 3 will be a KILLER!
Witch Finder is one of those books that gives you it's overall impressions in the first few chapters and the impression I got was that this was going to be a fabulous read and one I would quickly munch my through, and I was so right.
We start the book in the company of Luke Lexton in a London long gone but it's not quite our London as this word is full of magic and witchcraft. Luke is the would-be Witch Finder of the title. He is about to undergo the trials that will see him initiated into the Malleus Maleficorum, a brotherhood who's only purpose in this finding, hunting and killing of witches. Luke obviously has a past that has pushed him into this direction but it's shrouded in mystery at the beginning of the book, something has happened to him but we don't know what. Saying that Luke lives with his uncle, who is a member of the Brotherhood and works in his uncle's forge so maybe it's family duty to his uncle that has made Luke want to join the Brotherhood. As part of his initiation he has to pick a random name from a book, the name of a known witch, and then go out and kill the witch in question. The name he chooses is that of sixteen year old Rosamund Greenwood, a witch with and infamous brother with close ties to other feared and renowned witches that are part of The Ealdwitan - the witch elite of England and the ruling council of witches with members within the Houses of Commons and Lords. This twist of fate will be life changing for Luke but if only he knew what he was getting himself in to and how will the Luke's BIG secret influence him!
The chapters switch each time between Luke and his potential victim Rosa. When we meet Rosa Greenwood we find that she comes from a family who were wealthy when her father was alive, but after her father died the riches began to recede and slowly, bit by bit, the family are losing everything, falling on ever increasing hard times. The Greenwood's are a family of witches who openly used their magic, they used to be able to use it more openly in their own home when all the staff were also magic users but hard times have meant the magic servants are all gone and they are now staffed with 'outwiths, non-magical staff who don't know about magic. So now the family use there magic in secret and only among other magic users. Rosa has relatively strong magic, more than her brother (which causes jealously in itself) and knows that one day she'll need to be the key to her family regaining it's standing, knowing she'll have to marry for money and privilege but not wanting it. You get the impression that she was a daddy's girl when her father was alive and used to getting her own way but without her father the affection towards her is lacking. Rosa soon becomes aware that her mother and brother have someone in mind for Rosa to marry but is he someone she could tolerate being married to or will she be exchanging one gilded cage for another?
What is there to love about this book?
Erm...... EVERYTHING! I seriously loved everything about this book. It merges together two of my favourite genres of book so seamlessly it's amazing and that's historical fiction and paranormal fiction. Witches and witch-hunters with a good historical and completely believable background. I think taking the book away from modern contemporary ties was a genius move as it makes the book very different from other recent witch based books and it gives the book a completely different feel to it. The books grips you from the first few chapters and doesn't let up. The pacing is consistent and on the whole the book is well executed. The twists are fascinating and they keep you right on your toes, I didn't see them coming although maybe I should have. It's an enticing, imaginative and easy read with a plot that's simple to follow and I practically devoured the book whole.
Was there anything not so good?
I totally enjoyed it so it's hard to think of anything not so good about it. maybe it's a little predictable when it comes to Luke attempting to kill Rosa and where his attempts lead them both, and it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out where the romance side of the tale is going to come from but none of that detracts form the book at all for me
Was it an interesting read?
I found it to be a very interesting read but then again witch tales are interesting more often than not are interesting to me. The use of an alternate England that's basically the same as our own historic London with the additional of magic, that most people don't even know exists was a wonderful decision as it gives the author room to play around with it all a bit and that just adds to the feel of the time and circumstance. You still find the grit, grime and utter desolation of London in the late 1880's but it gains an added depth with the secret of the magic.
Was it enjoyable to read?
Completely and it took my surprise how enjoyable I found it. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting and I can't say I had low expectations of it as I didn't but still what I got was something much better and much more than I expected in more ways than one. When I closed the book I was left with a feeling of welcome surprise at what I read, I had a glimpse into a brand new world that drew me right in and made me want to stay within the pages along with a desperate need to find out how things were going to play out in the next book, such a need that I just had to start the next book right then, so I did!
Was it a well written book?
I didn't fin anything glaringly wrong with it and it made a nice change to read a finished book after a long period of reading uncorrected proofs and the like/ The plot was well paced, well thought out and well handled in general. The character has good development and all had their own quirks of character that made them stand out in their own right, you could FEEL Luke's sense of duty to the Brotherhood, Rosa's lingering grief at the loss of her father, Rosa's brother's desperation to regain some standing with his peers and so on. The book was full of potential for the future of the series, full of possibilities and directions that could be taken so it's going to fun to see where the next book will take me.
Would you recommend it to others?
I would, it's a lot of fun with plenty to keep everyone happy. History for historical fiction fans, witches and magic for paranormal fans, romance for those who need there love fix and it's all wrapped up in a YA book for everyone so will appeal to all ages, from teenagers to those older readers like me who are unashamed to still be reading YA as some of the best book out there are YA books, and this is one of them in my opinion. I'm glad book 2 Witch Hunt is now out (as of June) and that I have it too hand so I don't have to wait to see what happens next but I'm sure the wait for book 3 will be a KILLER!
December 8, 2013
Next to BORN WICKED by Jessica Spotswood, this is one of my top favorties witch books ever. SO good!
Full review to come soon.
Full review to come soon.
December 9, 2013
Actual Rating: 2.5
I would love to say I loved it. But I can't. I didn't. I would love to say I hated it. But I can't. I didn't. Though there are some aspects of both that I did love and did hate. Of which I'll discuss later on in detail, but one of the main thing Witch Finder has going for it is the fact it is very well done and authentic. Written in third person, and split into two perspectives you have two stories to contend with, that has to be seamlessly in sync with one another, which, for the most part, were. Needless to say, Witch Finder wasn't exactly what I was expecting. With historicals, it's all about the execution. Though it was executed well, there was something that didn't sit well.
One of the main snags for me, in fact were the characters. Most of the central characters were downright sociopathic, self-righteous, self-titled and arrogant. This applies to seedy Sebastian, Alexis and the character I most wanted to slap, Rosa's mother. Besides the ugh, go away comments and actions from both Sebastian and Alexis, which in those times, was expected. What I couldn't get over was the one character that you'd think Rosa would be on equal footing with her, what I call, mother.
She angered me to no end, Sebastian and Alexis are their own kinds of evil, but the more I think about it, morally, Rosa's mother was worse than both what Alexis and Sebastian done, because it is her Mother. The person that's supposed to love you, look out for you, would want the best for you. Not sell you for wealth and money, no matter what Rosa wanted for herself, or her happiness. As long as she was taken care of, she couldn't five a crap about her own daughter.
And what, you're relying on your daughter to get you out of your own mess, never mind the cost to her, just so you can be rich and live like you accustomed to, and shop all the money you can away? How about you get off your lazy ass- Don't even get me started, there would be a lot of swearing and that would not be ladylike.
But, I did like Rosa for most of it, because she's not stupid, or blind to Sebastian. She's not a whiny character, she's not all self, like the others. She's really kind, she's sees a lot more than her own upturned nose.
It took me longer to warm up to Luke, and though I get why he wanted to do what he was going to do in the beginning, it's not one size fits all.
Now, the other major snag for me was the animal cruelty, and though it's not central to the storyline it is essential to certain characters, so I get why it was in there, but it is a little graphic, and I'm not okay about it. So, if you're the same as me, or sensitive to that kind of thing, you've been forewarned.
I really liked the whole storyline, it's the something I was looking for in Witchstruck, on the witch hunt side of things, that I didn't find. That being said, besides the basics, there wasn't much to found on. Luke's on his mission, to get into the secret brother hood, a brother hood that you don't know much about...you have the basics, but that's where that story starts and ends. I would've liked more to root that side of the story.
There are some aspects of Witch Finder that I loved, the authenticity, and the feel of it, and some aspects I really didn't like at all. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it, I'm in-between.
~~A copy was provided by Hodder Children's Books, and Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.~
-----------
Review originally posted on Studio Reads
I would love to say I loved it. But I can't. I didn't. I would love to say I hated it. But I can't. I didn't. Though there are some aspects of both that I did love and did hate. Of which I'll discuss later on in detail, but one of the main thing Witch Finder has going for it is the fact it is very well done and authentic. Written in third person, and split into two perspectives you have two stories to contend with, that has to be seamlessly in sync with one another, which, for the most part, were. Needless to say, Witch Finder wasn't exactly what I was expecting. With historicals, it's all about the execution. Though it was executed well, there was something that didn't sit well.
One of the main snags for me, in fact were the characters. Most of the central characters were downright sociopathic, self-righteous, self-titled and arrogant. This applies to seedy Sebastian, Alexis and the character I most wanted to slap, Rosa's mother. Besides the ugh, go away comments and actions from both Sebastian and Alexis, which in those times, was expected. What I couldn't get over was the one character that you'd think Rosa would be on equal footing with her, what I call, mother.
She angered me to no end, Sebastian and Alexis are their own kinds of evil, but the more I think about it, morally, Rosa's mother was worse than both what Alexis and Sebastian done, because it is her Mother. The person that's supposed to love you, look out for you, would want the best for you. Not sell you for wealth and money, no matter what Rosa wanted for herself, or her happiness. As long as she was taken care of, she couldn't five a crap about her own daughter.
And what, you're relying on your daughter to get you out of your own mess, never mind the cost to her, just so you can be rich and live like you accustomed to, and shop all the money you can away? How about you get off your lazy ass- Don't even get me started, there would be a lot of swearing and that would not be ladylike.
But, I did like Rosa for most of it, because she's not stupid, or blind to Sebastian. She's not a whiny character, she's not all self, like the others. She's really kind, she's sees a lot more than her own upturned nose.
It took me longer to warm up to Luke, and though I get why he wanted to do what he was going to do in the beginning, it's not one size fits all.
Now, the other major snag for me was the animal cruelty, and though it's not central to the storyline it is essential to certain characters, so I get why it was in there, but it is a little graphic, and I'm not okay about it. So, if you're the same as me, or sensitive to that kind of thing, you've been forewarned.
I really liked the whole storyline, it's the something I was looking for in Witchstruck, on the witch hunt side of things, that I didn't find. That being said, besides the basics, there wasn't much to found on. Luke's on his mission, to get into the secret brother hood, a brother hood that you don't know much about...you have the basics, but that's where that story starts and ends. I would've liked more to root that side of the story.
There are some aspects of Witch Finder that I loved, the authenticity, and the feel of it, and some aspects I really didn't like at all. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it, I'm in-between.
~~A copy was provided by Hodder Children's Books, and Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.~
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Review originally posted on Studio Reads
July 28, 2014
Ruth Warburton lures us in to a captivating London in the 1880’s full of lies and deceit where even the rich and wealthy don’t always live to see the end of each other’s hidden agendas. Right in the middle is Luke. A boy looking to rid the darkness from the world the only way he’s been taught: by killing witches. Set on a task to kill a witch he doesn’t know, he faces more magic than he’s ever seen before and not just the magical kind...
Luke is an easy character to imagine, and both Luke and Rosa are well developed with dual narratives that are equally engaging (halleluiah!) It was always clear where their characters were going but it was done beautifully so you could see them changing ever so slightly and there’s no overnight revelation; a fact we can all be thankful for, because too many times has it taken one snap-decision to change everything in a book.
Rosa is a born and bred rich girl with limited knowledge of the conditions outside of her luxury home, but it’s not all easy. With an arrogant brother and gold digging mother she has been forced into a life that is no longer her own to dictate and will marriage to the mysteriously dark Sebastian only make things worse and pass her to his control? Or is the decision even hers to make in the first place?
Overall the plot was very predictable and from the start you knew what was going to happen even when everything was turned on its head a couple of times, but it never took away from my enjoyment of this book. So what if you knew what the final result would be? There are plenty of twists on the way to keep you questioning it, and while I say that I knew what would happen the very end scene was not something I could have predicted.
I did love this book and unlike the mixed reviews it’s received before I have nothing negative to say. I loved the setting that wasn’t described to an extent where it was boring, the characters were interesting and believable, the love was not insta-love, and there was plenty if magic to go round. What more could a YA lover want?
Posted on: http://enchantedbyya.blogspot.co.uk/
Luke is an easy character to imagine, and both Luke and Rosa are well developed with dual narratives that are equally engaging (halleluiah!) It was always clear where their characters were going but it was done beautifully so you could see them changing ever so slightly and there’s no overnight revelation; a fact we can all be thankful for, because too many times has it taken one snap-decision to change everything in a book.
Rosa is a born and bred rich girl with limited knowledge of the conditions outside of her luxury home, but it’s not all easy. With an arrogant brother and gold digging mother she has been forced into a life that is no longer her own to dictate and will marriage to the mysteriously dark Sebastian only make things worse and pass her to his control? Or is the decision even hers to make in the first place?
Overall the plot was very predictable and from the start you knew what was going to happen even when everything was turned on its head a couple of times, but it never took away from my enjoyment of this book. So what if you knew what the final result would be? There are plenty of twists on the way to keep you questioning it, and while I say that I knew what would happen the very end scene was not something I could have predicted.
I did love this book and unlike the mixed reviews it’s received before I have nothing negative to say. I loved the setting that wasn’t described to an extent where it was boring, the characters were interesting and believable, the love was not insta-love, and there was plenty if magic to go round. What more could a YA lover want?
Posted on: http://enchantedbyya.blogspot.co.uk/
July 15, 2014
I went into reading Witch Finder with some trepidation, while I do like books about witches I don't tend to read books set in the past. But the minute I began reading I was hooked in this world. We are immediately drawn into the world of Witch Hunters with Luke facing the Malleus Maleficorum with the aim of becoming one of them by taking tests, and then having to select the name of a witch he has to hunt down and kill. That witch being Rosa. The tests are not for the faint of heart and how Luke stood there and took these tests with no signs of distress was nothing short of amazing.
Witch Finder alternates chapters between Luke and Rosa, so we get to see the events unfold through two sides of the story, witches and witch finder, 'good' and 'bad', and I think this is what made this book more appealing to me. We aren't stuck reading from one side of the story, basing our judgements on what we read and see through only one pair of eyes. Seeing both sides of the story enables you to get the full picture, and really get a full, non-judgemental perspective on the whole situation.
One little thing that I liked were the images above each chapter number. I thought it was a nice little touch and looked forward to seeing what image would be next.
Witch Finder was much more than I expected, I loved the mystery, the subterfuge, the magic, and the romance. I devoured every single word I read. I HAD to know what Luke would do, I HAD to know what Rosa would do to keep her family in money. Yes there were a few words I was unfamiliar with, but the sentences they were in made it easy to understand the word in it's context. I may have waited a long time to read Witch Finder, and it may have sat on my shelves for a bit more time, but I am so glad I left it for so long, as now I can dive straight into the next instalment when it is released very soon. Whether or not history or witches are your thing or not, you HAVE to pick up Witch Finder and give it a read, you will not be disappointed.
Witch Finder alternates chapters between Luke and Rosa, so we get to see the events unfold through two sides of the story, witches and witch finder, 'good' and 'bad', and I think this is what made this book more appealing to me. We aren't stuck reading from one side of the story, basing our judgements on what we read and see through only one pair of eyes. Seeing both sides of the story enables you to get the full picture, and really get a full, non-judgemental perspective on the whole situation.
One little thing that I liked were the images above each chapter number. I thought it was a nice little touch and looked forward to seeing what image would be next.
Witch Finder was much more than I expected, I loved the mystery, the subterfuge, the magic, and the romance. I devoured every single word I read. I HAD to know what Luke would do, I HAD to know what Rosa would do to keep her family in money. Yes there were a few words I was unfamiliar with, but the sentences they were in made it easy to understand the word in it's context. I may have waited a long time to read Witch Finder, and it may have sat on my shelves for a bit more time, but I am so glad I left it for so long, as now I can dive straight into the next instalment when it is released very soon. Whether or not history or witches are your thing or not, you HAVE to pick up Witch Finder and give it a read, you will not be disappointed.
February 22, 2014
Sticking to a winning formula of witches and magic, 'Witch Finder', the first book in Ruth Warburton's new trilogy, was a wonderful read which quite literally swept me away. I finished it in one evening because it was impossible to put down. I loved the Winter series and so I enjoyed getting to see events unfold through the eyes of not only Rosa, a young witch, but also Luke, a witch finder who has sworn to kill her and become part of the Maleus Maleficarum.
What makes the story really interesting and gives it an unusual twist is that although Luke sets out with the intention of killing Rosa and finding the witch that murdered his parents, when he eventually meets her, he realises that she may have magic but she's also a person in her own right. She's kind and compassionate and beautiful and so all his strongly held convictions are shaken to the core. This doesn't mean that he immediately strays from his chosen path and he still attempts to take Rosa's life on numerous occasions but his feelings for her grow stronger as he begins to understand who she is. He has to struggle with his morals as he's torn between which course of action to take.
Unlike her previous books, Ruth Warburton has set 'Witch Finder' in 1880 which lends a historical slant to the story. We get to see how men have most of the power over women and how Rosa is caught between saving her family and marrying a man she doesn't love. I enjoyed seeing how people lived during this period and how different classes struggled with many of the problems that we still face today.
I loved this story which flowed so well that I quickly became immersed in the characters' lives. There are some unusual twists in the plot and I never found it predictable or slow. I kept getting to the end of each chapter and then wanted to keep on reading to find out what would happen next. I'm now extremely eager to get my hands on the next book in the trilogy, 'Witch Hunt' which is out later this year.
What makes the story really interesting and gives it an unusual twist is that although Luke sets out with the intention of killing Rosa and finding the witch that murdered his parents, when he eventually meets her, he realises that she may have magic but she's also a person in her own right. She's kind and compassionate and beautiful and so all his strongly held convictions are shaken to the core. This doesn't mean that he immediately strays from his chosen path and he still attempts to take Rosa's life on numerous occasions but his feelings for her grow stronger as he begins to understand who she is. He has to struggle with his morals as he's torn between which course of action to take.
Unlike her previous books, Ruth Warburton has set 'Witch Finder' in 1880 which lends a historical slant to the story. We get to see how men have most of the power over women and how Rosa is caught between saving her family and marrying a man she doesn't love. I enjoyed seeing how people lived during this period and how different classes struggled with many of the problems that we still face today.
I loved this story which flowed so well that I quickly became immersed in the characters' lives. There are some unusual twists in the plot and I never found it predictable or slow. I kept getting to the end of each chapter and then wanted to keep on reading to find out what would happen next. I'm now extremely eager to get my hands on the next book in the trilogy, 'Witch Hunt' which is out later this year.
November 14, 2013
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Hachette Children's Books and Netgalley.)
18-year-old Luke wants to join a witch-hunting group, but to prove himself he must first kill a witch.
16-year-old witch Rosa is shocked when her mother and brother tell her that she must marry for money following her father’s death. Little does she know that she’s also be marked for death by Luke.
Will Rosa marry for money? And will Luke kill Rosa?
This book was okay, but I have to say that I was bored during most of it.
I thought that Luke was a little trigger happy joining the witch hunting group the way he did, as he had absolutely no clue what he was getting himself involved in. This was further proved when one of the other men tried to teach him how to kill using a knife, whilst demonstrating with a pig. It’s all very well saying ‘I can kill a witch’, but the reality is very different.
Rosa was a little naïve and silly. I couldn’t quite believe how shocked she was that her mother and brother wanted her to marry for money, considering the fact that her father was dead, and they were broke, it seemed like an obvious thing for them to consider.
The storyline in this was pretty predictable, boy gets told to kill a witch, boy likes said witch too much, and instead of killing her falls in love with her. The rest of the storyline just didn’t have enough of anything to keep me interested, and I found myself bored for the vast majority of the book. I was also put off by the animal cruelty in this book. While Rosa managed to not die, the animals in this story didn’t fare quite so well.
The romance in this was pretty non-existent, which was surprising given the storyline, and didn’t really help the book at all.
The ending was okay, although I didn’t even find the drama interesting. I don’t think I’ll bother reading the rest of this series.
Overall; a pretty boring and predictable book about witches.
6 out of 10.
18-year-old Luke wants to join a witch-hunting group, but to prove himself he must first kill a witch.
16-year-old witch Rosa is shocked when her mother and brother tell her that she must marry for money following her father’s death. Little does she know that she’s also be marked for death by Luke.
Will Rosa marry for money? And will Luke kill Rosa?
This book was okay, but I have to say that I was bored during most of it.
I thought that Luke was a little trigger happy joining the witch hunting group the way he did, as he had absolutely no clue what he was getting himself involved in. This was further proved when one of the other men tried to teach him how to kill using a knife, whilst demonstrating with a pig. It’s all very well saying ‘I can kill a witch’, but the reality is very different.
Rosa was a little naïve and silly. I couldn’t quite believe how shocked she was that her mother and brother wanted her to marry for money, considering the fact that her father was dead, and they were broke, it seemed like an obvious thing for them to consider.
The storyline in this was pretty predictable, boy gets told to kill a witch, boy likes said witch too much, and instead of killing her falls in love with her. The rest of the storyline just didn’t have enough of anything to keep me interested, and I found myself bored for the vast majority of the book. I was also put off by the animal cruelty in this book. While Rosa managed to not die, the animals in this story didn’t fare quite so well.
The romance in this was pretty non-existent, which was surprising given the storyline, and didn’t really help the book at all.
The ending was okay, although I didn’t even find the drama interesting. I don’t think I’ll bother reading the rest of this series.
Overall; a pretty boring and predictable book about witches.
6 out of 10.
April 8, 2017
A quick review today for a book I quite literally flew through as I was hooked from the very start.
Witch finder is Ruth Warburton's newest offering set in Victorian London. I was hooked from the start. Witches in the east end of Victorian London! What more could you possibly want I ask you. The story revolves about Rosa a young witch who is being forced to marry an unpleasant man for money and Luke the stable hand employed to work at Rosa's house who is secretly there to kill Rosa in revenge for the deaths of his mother and father.
For me this book really hooked me because of the setting. I have read Ruth's previous series (starting with a witch in winter) and love her writing and story telling as I find it effortless to read but I actually think I like this book more. I loved how you get a real feel for the time period the characters are living in and a feel for the different lifestyles and way in which people lived.
I loved meeting both Rosa and Luke and finding out more about their story and why they acted the way they did. This book did a brilliant job of introducing them and I cannot wait to see where their story goes next as the rest of the trilogy unfolds.
I also loved the occasional nod to Ruth's other series with organisations and family names being referred to that pop up in later books. It fascinated my little historical brain thinking that the characters I was reading about could in some way be related to those I loved in the other trilogy (it's not to say you have to have read the witch in winter series first as this book stands alone, I would recommend it though) and I was itching to delve more into that side of it and find out how everyone links up.
If you love books about witches or you love historical fiction like Mary Hoopers's Fallen Grace you will love this book.
Witch finder is Ruth Warburton's newest offering set in Victorian London. I was hooked from the start. Witches in the east end of Victorian London! What more could you possibly want I ask you. The story revolves about Rosa a young witch who is being forced to marry an unpleasant man for money and Luke the stable hand employed to work at Rosa's house who is secretly there to kill Rosa in revenge for the deaths of his mother and father.
For me this book really hooked me because of the setting. I have read Ruth's previous series (starting with a witch in winter) and love her writing and story telling as I find it effortless to read but I actually think I like this book more. I loved how you get a real feel for the time period the characters are living in and a feel for the different lifestyles and way in which people lived.
I loved meeting both Rosa and Luke and finding out more about their story and why they acted the way they did. This book did a brilliant job of introducing them and I cannot wait to see where their story goes next as the rest of the trilogy unfolds.
I also loved the occasional nod to Ruth's other series with organisations and family names being referred to that pop up in later books. It fascinated my little historical brain thinking that the characters I was reading about could in some way be related to those I loved in the other trilogy (it's not to say you have to have read the witch in winter series first as this book stands alone, I would recommend it though) and I was itching to delve more into that side of it and find out how everyone links up.
If you love books about witches or you love historical fiction like Mary Hoopers's Fallen Grace you will love this book.
January 20, 2014
I received this book through NetGalley for an honest review.
There was a few things I didn't much care for in this book, but there was also things that I loved.
The beginning of the story was rather slow. I understand that the author was doing their best to develop the characters, however they just kind of fell flat. You learned about a society that kills witches and we find young Luke being indoctrinated into this society. He passes his first two tests, the last test is to kill a witch.
We find said witch, Rosa, living with her brother and mother that only want her around as a way for them to marry money back into the family. Never mind what Rosa wants. She is abused by them both. Soon enough their lives intertwine. Luke makes a few halfhearted attempts at killing Rosa, but along the way he falls in love with her.
There was no mystery in how this book was going to play out. One destined to kill, but instead falls in love and risks everything for them to be together. There was nothing about this story that made it stand out from these type of SL's that have been done ad nauseam.
I did enjoy the characters themselves. I really like Rosa and Luke and the fact they both overcame what they were meant to be. Would I read the next book I the series? Absolutely, if for no other reason then to see if this author has found her wings.
3 solid stars
There was a few things I didn't much care for in this book, but there was also things that I loved.
The beginning of the story was rather slow. I understand that the author was doing their best to develop the characters, however they just kind of fell flat. You learned about a society that kills witches and we find young Luke being indoctrinated into this society. He passes his first two tests, the last test is to kill a witch.
We find said witch, Rosa, living with her brother and mother that only want her around as a way for them to marry money back into the family. Never mind what Rosa wants. She is abused by them both. Soon enough their lives intertwine. Luke makes a few halfhearted attempts at killing Rosa, but along the way he falls in love with her.
There was no mystery in how this book was going to play out. One destined to kill, but instead falls in love and risks everything for them to be together. There was nothing about this story that made it stand out from these type of SL's that have been done ad nauseam.
I did enjoy the characters themselves. I really like Rosa and Luke and the fact they both overcame what they were meant to be. Would I read the next book I the series? Absolutely, if for no other reason then to see if this author has found her wings.
3 solid stars
January 23, 2014
I received Witch Finder from Net Galley in return for an honest review.
This is one of those books that just clicked with me. One of those rare things, the reasons can be hard to explain. Mainly, it was the reactions of the two main characters, Luke and Rosa. There wasn't an instant love at first sight reaction from either of them. They grew on each other, and the reasons for their change of heart was clear and apparent. Nor did they spend the entire book mooning over each other like sick puppies as happens in too many books lately. They were entirely able to think about other things important to each. I just really bonded with both of them.
I enjoyed the Victorian setting. It felt consistent with other books I've read of the time period. My only complaint is I would have liked to see more explanation of what a larger variety of ordinary people felt about witches and how the witches used their magic in the wider world. It's probably that such things were shown in earlier books in the series. I'm eager to read those now.
This is one of those books that just clicked with me. One of those rare things, the reasons can be hard to explain. Mainly, it was the reactions of the two main characters, Luke and Rosa. There wasn't an instant love at first sight reaction from either of them. They grew on each other, and the reasons for their change of heart was clear and apparent. Nor did they spend the entire book mooning over each other like sick puppies as happens in too many books lately. They were entirely able to think about other things important to each. I just really bonded with both of them.
I enjoyed the Victorian setting. It felt consistent with other books I've read of the time period. My only complaint is I would have liked to see more explanation of what a larger variety of ordinary people felt about witches and how the witches used their magic in the wider world. It's probably that such things were shown in earlier books in the series. I'm eager to read those now.
November 6, 2017
I was quite excited to read this story...
Historic London. Witches. Falling in love with the one you’re supposed to kill. It’s a recipe for a great fantasy YA!
But I felt it was slow. Boring. Lack of excitement or adventure. I haven’t fallen in love with the characters. I didn’t root for them to get together and survive against all odds.
Quite a disappointment if I must say.
Historic London. Witches. Falling in love with the one you’re supposed to kill. It’s a recipe for a great fantasy YA!
But I felt it was slow. Boring. Lack of excitement or adventure. I haven’t fallen in love with the characters. I didn’t root for them to get together and survive against all odds.
Quite a disappointment if I must say.
January 7, 2025
Witch Finder by Ruth Warburton - 3.5 Stars
I kept going back and forth between a 3 star rating or a four star rating, and have landed on 3.5. I don’t normally use half rating, being a GoodReads die-hard myself, but I may have to sit with this one to decide.
Things I love about this book; I love religious motifs in a book. I always eat that up because it gets me so invested in the story, a character following a kind of higher power will never not be interesting to me (religion minor represent). So, I loved the beginning of this book with Luke’s religious determination in his task. Though, that stream did seem to fall off around the middle of the book, and it was completely disregarded in the last third of the story.
I also wish that the romance was a little more flushed out. I think on the side of Luke’s point of view, it was pretty well done, though again, I would have liked a little more internal religious conflict with him. In regards to Rosa, I feel like the romance from her side was very sudden. When they kissed in the stable after the proposal, I was honestly shocked. I feel like we didn’t see any evidence of a growing affection from Rosa throughout the book almost at all. We saw lots of fascination that I think was well done, and would have been a great transition, but there was seemingly no execution of that transition from fascination to romantic attraction.
Something I did not like about this book; the animal abuse. I think that there is never any need to show animal abuse in books like this. It’s fiction, and it’s YA. I get Cherry more than the puppy, that was completely unnecessary. We had already seen evidence of Sebastian’s cruelty and had a clear picture of the kind of person he was which continued throughout the book.
Being in a publishing program and having great professors, I have a new eye for the technical aspects of a book. I really loved the font, especially the serif. It just elevates the text to me and literally draws my eye to the page. Another design aspect I thought was very clever was adding the small designs from the chapter headings, the locket, ring, dagger, snake, etc. all on the front cover of the book. At first, I thought the cover was a little too busy for my taste, but now knowing the meaning of the internal illustrations I think it’s perfect! Every chapter I went back to the cover to try and find the design.
I kept going back and forth between a 3 star rating or a four star rating, and have landed on 3.5. I don’t normally use half rating, being a GoodReads die-hard myself, but I may have to sit with this one to decide.
Things I love about this book; I love religious motifs in a book. I always eat that up because it gets me so invested in the story, a character following a kind of higher power will never not be interesting to me (religion minor represent). So, I loved the beginning of this book with Luke’s religious determination in his task. Though, that stream did seem to fall off around the middle of the book, and it was completely disregarded in the last third of the story.
I also wish that the romance was a little more flushed out. I think on the side of Luke’s point of view, it was pretty well done, though again, I would have liked a little more internal religious conflict with him. In regards to Rosa, I feel like the romance from her side was very sudden. When they kissed in the stable after the proposal, I was honestly shocked. I feel like we didn’t see any evidence of a growing affection from Rosa throughout the book almost at all. We saw lots of fascination that I think was well done, and would have been a great transition, but there was seemingly no execution of that transition from fascination to romantic attraction.
Something I did not like about this book; the animal abuse. I think that there is never any need to show animal abuse in books like this. It’s fiction, and it’s YA. I get Cherry more than the puppy, that was completely unnecessary. We had already seen evidence of Sebastian’s cruelty and had a clear picture of the kind of person he was which continued throughout the book.
Being in a publishing program and having great professors, I have a new eye for the technical aspects of a book. I really loved the font, especially the serif. It just elevates the text to me and literally draws my eye to the page. Another design aspect I thought was very clever was adding the small designs from the chapter headings, the locket, ring, dagger, snake, etc. all on the front cover of the book. At first, I thought the cover was a little too busy for my taste, but now knowing the meaning of the internal illustrations I think it’s perfect! Every chapter I went back to the cover to try and find the design.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2022
I did like the pace of the book, highkey cliche yet satisfying ending. I will admit I kinda liked sebastian, like fight me, ik he's toxic but he's kinda fine. Rosa, I hated her she was sooo annoying pick me ENERGY, I did like that she stood up for herself at the end BUT SHE IS LITERALLY USELESS. Luke's fine, but he cries to much, like my man's needs to get over it.
Also I feel like the transition from enemies to lovers was so sudden, like he just went from I hate you to I love you, so randomly. But it's still a good book. Ig.
Also I feel like the transition from enemies to lovers was so sudden, like he just went from I hate you to I love you, so randomly. But it's still a good book. Ig.
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